1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a biaxial hinge mechanism including an opening/closing shaft and a rotating shaft provided in a direction orthogonal to the opening/closing shaft, and to an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, electronic apparatuses such as video cameras, digital cameras, cell phones, notebook-sized personal computers, etc. each often have an apparatus body in which electronic parts are mounted and a liquid crystal panel which displays pictures and characters. In each of these apparatuses, the liquid crystal panel can be opened and closed (be unfolded and folded) relative to the apparatus body, and the liquid crystal panel can be rotated when in the opened state. Between the apparatus body and the liquid crystal panel, therefore, there is provided a biaxial hinge mechanism which includes an opening/closing shaft and a rotating shaft provided in a direction orthogonal to the opening/closing shaft.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a biaxial hinge mechanism 210 according to a related art.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a condition in which the biaxial hinge mechanism 210 according to the related art shown in FIG. 17 is applied to a video camera 20.
FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a condition in which the biaxial hinge mechanism 210 according to the related art shown in FIG. 17 is applied to the video camera 20.
As shown in FIG. 17, the biaxial hinge mechanism 210 according to the related art includes an opening/closing shaft 212 supported between a pair of left and right opening/closing support sections 211a and 211b, and a rotating shaft 215 which is supported on the opening/closing shaft 212 and is provided in a direction orthogonal to the opening/closing shaft 212. In addition, the biaxial hinge mechanism 210 has a rotating support section 216 which is supported on the rotating shaft 215 and is provided to be rotatable relative to the opening/closing shaft 212, with the rotating shaft 215 as a center axis of rotation.
The biaxial hinge mechanism 210 in the related art as above is mounted, for example, to a video camera 20, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. Specifically, opening/closing support sections 211a and 211b are fixed to the outside of an apparatus body 21 of the video camera 20, and a liquid crystal panel 22 is secured to the rotating support section 216 (see FIG. 17). Therefore, the liquid crystal panel 22 can be opened and closed relative to the apparatus body 21, as indicated by arrows, with the opening/closing shaft 212 as a center axis of rotation. Besides, when the liquid crystal panel 22 has been turned (opened) away from the apparatus body 21, the liquid crystal panel 22 can be rotated relative to the apparatus body 21, as indicated by arrows, with the rotating shaft 215 as a center axis of rotation.